Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on Wednesday (8 April), US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described Operation Epic Fury as a “historic and overwhelming victory,” stating it had “decimated Iran’s military” and rendered it “combat ineffective for years to come.”
He said US forces, using “less than 10% of America’s total combat power,” dismantled key capabilities in under 40 days, adding Iran could “no longer build missiles, rockets, launchers, or UAVs,” with its defence industrial base “completely destroyed.”
The briefing follows a two-week ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump, who said Washington had met its military objectives and would suspend further strikes while pursuing a broader agreement, including limits on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Hegseth emphasised that US forces would remain deployed and ready to act if required, while Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi signalled a conditional halt to operations, with early indications of shipping resuming through the Strait of Hormuz.
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